Doom Developer id Software Reportedly Losing Half Its Staff
As part of Microsoft's mass layoffs, the creator of Doom, id Software, is reportedly cutting around 50% of its workforce, potentially affecting about 90 jobs.
Microsoft's sweeping layoffs, announced on Monday, have reportedly hit the legendary first-person shooter studio id Software hard. According to Game Developer, id Software, the creator of Doom, is laying off approximately 50% of its staff. Former studio employee Michael Maynard corroborated the 50% figure on LinkedIn. One of Game Developer's sources suggests this could translate to around 90 job cuts, though it remains unclear which departments are most affected. Engadget has contacted Microsoft for further details on the id Software layoffs.
id Software, like several other Xbox studios, is unionized with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). While Microsoft recognized the studio's "wall-to-wall" union in 2025, staff have yet to reach a first contract. CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. stated that Microsoft "slow-walked union members at the bargaining table," preventing them from accessing union contract protections. In the same statement, CWA District 2-13 Vice President Mike Davis demanded immediate bargaining over fair severance.
Bloomberg reported yesterday that as part of Xbox's "reset," id Software's parent company ZeniMax Media will focus on its biggest franchises, including The Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Wolfenstein, and Doom. This may have motivated the cuts, though id Software already appears heavily focused on Doom. The studio launched Doom: The Dark Ages in 2025 and an expansion on July 7, 2026. The layoffs at Xbox are not over: Microsoft eliminated 1,600 roles alongside the restructuring announcement and plans to lay off another 1,600 employees in the coming months.
